Betsy Cromer Byars

Betsy Byars, born Betsy Cromer in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 7, 1928, was an American author primarily known for her children's literature. Her career spanned decades, earning her significant accolades including the prestigious Newbery Medal for "Summer of the Swans" in 1971. She also received a National Book Award for "The Night Swimmers" and an Edgar Award for "Wanted... Mud Blossom." Byars was recognized for her lifetime achievement with the Regina Medal from the Catholic Library Association in 1987. She passed away on February 26, 2020, in Seneca, South Carolina.

Her early life was shaped by the Great Depression. After attending Furman University and Queens College, where she earned an English degree, she married Edward Ford Byars in 1950. The couple raised four children. During her husband's graduate studies, Byars began her writing career, contributing to various magazines before publishing her first novel, "Clementine," in 1962. The family had a unique lifestyle, living on an airstrip in Seneca, South Carolina, as both Betsy and Edward were licensed pilots. Later in her career, she collaborated on books with her daughters, Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers, who are also children's writers. Byars retired in 1990.

Betsy Byars achieved significant recognition for her contributions to children's literature. Her novel "Summer of the Swans" was awarded the esteemed Newbery Medal in 1971, marking a high point in her career. Further cementing her reputation, she earned a National Book Award for Young People's Literature for "The Night Swimmers" in 1980 and an Edgar Award for "Wanted... Mud Blossom" in 1991. Her work resonated deeply with young readers, leading to her inclusion in the Educational Paperback Association's list of top authors. The British literary journal "Signal," through its editor Nancy Chambers, even acknowledged her as "one of the ten best writers for children in the world." In recognition of her sustained career, the Catholic Library Association presented her with the Regina Medal for lifetime achievement in 1987.

Born Betsy Cromer on August 7, 1928, in Charlotte, North Carolina, Byars's childhood unfolded during the Great Depression. She pursued higher education at Furman University and later Queens College, where she completed her bachelor's degree in English in 1950. Shortly after graduation, she married Edward Ford Byars, an engineering graduate student. The couple eventually settled in Seneca, South Carolina, where they shared a distinctive lifestyle, living on an airstrip with their four children and holding pilot licenses themselves. It was during this period, while her husband was engaged in his academic pursuits, that Betsy Byars began writing professionally, selling her work to popular magazines such as "The Saturday Evening Post" and "Look" before embarking on her career as a novelist with "Clementine" in 1962.

“one of the ten best writers for children in the world”